Saturday, October 28, 2006

Chestertown, MD, October 27, 2006— Washington College's C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience presents "History on the High Seas," in conjunction with Sultana Projects, Inc.'s Sixth Annual Downrigging Weekend, Sunday, November 5. The event is free and open to the public. Join us in a heated tent behind the Custom House for two hearty maritime lectures, with free hot beverages supplied courtesy of Washington College. On Saturday, November 4, the college will provide water for visitors to the waterfront, where eleven tall ships includingKalmar Nyckel and Pride of Baltimore II will be moored for the entire weekend.

At 1:30 p.m., John Donoghue, a recent Ph.D. graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, will present "Pirates in the Court of King Death: Three Tales of Justice Under the Jolly Roger." Donoghue will discuss pirates and their alternative society, which featured a unique code of justice that was radically democratic for its time. Then, at 2:30 p.m., Kees de Mooy, Program Manager at the C.V. Starr Center, will present "Following in Schooner Sultana's Wake: Uncovering the History of an 18th Century Naval Vessel." While a student at Washington College, Kees de Mooy researched the history of the Schooner Sultana, a Royal Navy vessel that was used to patrol for smugglers along the American coastline prior to the Revolution.

"History on the High Seas" is sponsored by Washington College's C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience. Established in 2000 with a grant from the New York-based Starr Foundation, the Starr Center draws on the special historical strengths of Washington College and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Through educational programs, scholarship, and public outreach, the Starr Center explores the early republic, the rise of democracy, and the manifold ways in which the founding era continues to shape American culture. In partnership with other institutions and with leading scholars and writers, the Center works to promote innovative approaches to the study of history, and to bridge the gaps between historians, contemporary policymakers, and the general public.